Cylinder lock assembly



March 1965 F. J. RUSSELL 3,175,378

CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed May 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l 30 F250 JZRUSSELL r L INVENTOR ATTOQNEVS March 30, 1965 F. J. RUSSELL CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17, 1963 INVENTOR.

3w 5 JMM/ ATTORNEYS EZEIRH Z .l .9 FEED J. RUSSELL United States Patent O M 3,175,378 CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY Fred J. Russell, 8535 Otis St, South Gate, Caiif. Filed May 17, 1963, Ser. No. 281,230 2 Claims. (Cl. 70-382) The invention has reference to a selective keying system, for example, as might be made use of during the construction period of a building in order that locks can be installed early during the period of construction and be permitted to be used by construction workers with keys of limited applicability, but wherein later the keying can be easily changed to render the locks operable only by the owners key and no longer operable by the construction keys. Selective systems of the type mentioned are useful in many and varied types of locks, but have particular application to pin tumbler locks.

Some construction key systems have been devised, but those heretofore available are to a degree objectionable because of operating in such fashion that a portion ofthe lock structure is mutilated when the changeover is made. Others have the objection of making it necessary to provide costly auxiliary apparatus in the lock device useful only during the construction period, the structure moreover being such that portions of the added structure need to be carried permanently by the lock device at unwanted locations even though they are no longer useful. Others are susceptible to accidental, unintentional changeover, and still others require a construction which reduces the security of the lock, especially after changeover. More recently, locks of this kind have been devised wherein portions of the mechanism or perhaps apertures for receipt of a tool are exposed to the face of the lock to the detriment of its appearance and also at a location where tampering is invited.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved selective key lock system useful as a construction key lock system, especially adapted for use in tumbler locks, which is of such character that even though a changeover has been made from one selected key lock system to another selected key lock system, the changeover will be such as to incur no radical change in what is otherwise a substantially standard lock construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved key lock system wherein no change need be made in the conventional tumbler cylinder assembly parts to accommodate the unique principle which encompasses the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved selective key lock system, whereby the keying arrangement can be easily altered upon the completion of some event like completion of construction, the rekeying of the system being such that it is simple, positive and inexpensive, and at the same time capable of making certain that only the authorized user'of a rekeying key can make the changeover from construction setting to owner setting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved selective key lock system which is made eiiective merely by rotation of the key plug to a particular position thereby to dispose of the special keying, the structure being such that rotation cannot be made to the rekeying position except by temporarily disengaging the tailpiece from the key plug.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

3,175,378 Patented Mar. 36, 1965 In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing a lock incorporating the key lock system generously broken away to show the system in section with a construction key in position.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional View on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG URE 4 but showing the effect of partial rotation of the key plug.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary right end elevational view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view partially broken away showing the changeover key in position disengaging the tailpiece preparatory to making the changeover.

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view at the same location as FIGURE 2, but showing the position of rotation of the key plug when the changeover is taking place.

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- URE 8 showing the condition of the lock after changeover has been completed.

FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- URES 2, 8, and 9 showing how the lock is barred against operation by the construction key after the changeover to owner key operation has been completed.

In the chosen embodiment of the invention forming the subject matter of the disclosure and accompanying drawings, there is shown a door lock mechanism consisting of a knob 10 having a knob face 11 at the outside or right-hand end and a shank 12 at the inside end. A reduced portion 13 of the knob is secured in a bushing 14- of a mounting plate 15 of the type adapted to be secured or clamped to a door, the reduced portion being anchored in place by means of a snap ring 16. A customary rosette 17 gives the mounting a finished appearance from its junction with the shank to its position overlying the door (not shown).

A cylinder housing 26 is mounted and held centerably within the knob 10 by means of a structure 21 at one end and the knob face 11 at the other end. Along one side of the cylinder housing is a pin tumbler casing 22. A key plug 23 is rotatably mounted within the cylinder housing and is provided with a keyway 23' of the customary sort. In the key plug 23 is a series of pin tumblers 24 which are reciprocatably mounted in suitable openings extending upwardly from the keyway 23 and spaced one from another along the length of the keyway 2-3. One pin tumbler 25 which is the outermost of the pin tumblers is of substantially conventional design and mounting as are the pin tumblers 2 but serves a special purpose as will be subsequently described. In the cylinder housing 26 is a series of driver tumblers 26 which are pressed by springs 18, the springs 18 in locking position of the key plug 23 serving to press the pin tumblers 24-. toward the keyway 23 to locations wherein the driver tumblers cross a shear line between the outside circumference 27 of the key plug 23 and the inside circumference 2% of the cylinder housing 20, thereby to lock the key plug 23 against rotation.

It will be noted that the outermost driver tumbler identified by the reference character 26 in the showing of FIGURE 1 is separated from engagement. by the outermost pin tumbler 25 by the interposition of a ball 29, and that the ball is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the pin tumbler 25, as well as the driver tumbler 26.

A construction key 3t? is provided with a series of areas 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 at different elevations in which rest respectively the pin tumblers 24 and, in the case of the area 35, the pin tumbler 25. The areas are of such elevation that under the circumstances herein shown where the pin tumblers are all of difierent lengths, the tops of the pin tumblers 24 are lifted to coincide with the shear line, previously described, when the construction key is inserted. At the same time the elevation of the area is such that it is the circumference of the ball 29 at its point of tangency with the driver tumbler 26' which coincides with the shear line. With the construction key inserted as shown in FIGURE 1, the key plug 23 can be rotated and the lock unlocked in the usual fashion.

Also following substantially conventional practice, an outer tubular spindle is nonrotatably attached to the reduced portion 13 of the shank 12 by means of a noncircular surface 41 which coincides with the noncircular shape of the tubular spindle 4h. The inner spindle 44 rotatably is located inside of the outer tubular spindle 40. The square inner spindle 44 extends into a square opening 45 in the inner end 39 of the key plug 23. Nonrotatably secured by conventional means to the outer tubular spindle 4t is a collar 42. A spring 43 is contained at one end by a washer 36 having a position determined by a projection 37 on the inner spindle 44 and on the other end by the collar 42. Thus, the spring 43 yield ably urges the inner spindle 44 into engagement with the inner end 39 of the key plug 23.

In the collar 4-2, spaces 46 between projections 47 in a noncircular opening 38 provide for a degree of lost motion in a rotational direction between the inner spindle 44 and the outer tubular spindle 40.

Following conventional practice, rotation of the key plug 23 is limited by lock parts (not shown) attached to the other end of the inner spindle 44. Accordingly, although the key plug 23 is rotatable when the construction key 30 is inserted therein in order to unlock the lock mechanism (not shown), rotation is limited by the lock parts to something less than 90", by way of example, in a'clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the chosen embodiment of the invention.

When construction has been finished, for example, and it is desirable to revise the keying of the lock device so that the construction key will no longer be capable of manipulatingthe lock, a changeover key 51 is employed. The changeover key has on it areas 31', 32, 33' etcetera which are at the same positions of elevation as the corresponding areas 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 of the construction key 30, so that the changeover key 51 is capable of unlocking and locking the lock. The changeover key 51, however, has at its inner end an elongated extension 52 having an inner end 53. When the changeover key 51 is inserted into the keyway 23 to a full depth, the inner end 53 of the extension 52 engages an end 54 of the inner spindle 44, and the extension 52 is long enough so that, with the changeover key 51 inserted to its full depth, the inner spindle 44 is moved against tension of the spring 43 until it is entirely out of engagement with the square opening 45. Freed from engagement with the solid inner spindle 44 the key plug 23 can be rotated without limitation in either direction. The purpose of allowing for unlimited rotation is so that a bore 55 which accommodates the pin tumbler 25 and the ball 29 can be rotated into alignment with a hole 56 through the cylinder housing 29 as shown in FIGURE 8. The diameter of the hole 56 is made larger than the diameter of the ball 29, but smaller than the diameter of the pin tumbler 25. This being the relationship of parts, the ball 29 is free to drop through the hole 56 out of its position in the bore 55, but the pin tumbler 25 is retained in its position when it strikes the inside circumference 28 of the cylinder housing 20 at the edge of the hole 56.

After this has happened, the changeover key 51 is then rotated in a reverse direction, clockwise as'viewed in struction key 30 will lift the pin tumbler 25 to the same position as previously, but inasmuch as the ball 29 is no longer in place, the driver tu1nbler26' will be pushedby its spring 18 downwardly into the bore 55 to the position shown in FIGURE 10. Hence, the construction key 3% can no longer be used to'unlock the lock. Thereafter, a special owner key (not shown) is made use of which is constructed so as to be able to lift the pin tumbler 25 to a position where its outer end coincides with the shear line between the outer circumference 27 of the key plug 23 and the inner circumference 23 of the cylinder housing 20. Assuming all of the remaining pin tumblers being moved to proper unlocked position, the key plug 23 then can be rotated so as to unlock the lock. In the chosen embodiment, the ball 29 will fall into the hollow interior of the knob It), where it may remain or from which it may drop through a hole (not shown) in the knob 10. From this point on, of course, the lock can no longer be unlocked either by any construction key 30 which may have been distributed to sundry contractors and workmen.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

l. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing, a series of sets of movable tumblers in-the cylinder housing and key plug for locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a keyv inserted through the front of the key plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when the tumblers are in release position, one of said tumblers beinga small'diameter extra tumbler in one of the sets of tumblers having a position allowing rotation of said key plug when the remaining tumblers are in release position, means having limited rotational movement releasably connected to the inner end of the plug to limit rotation of said key plug, said releasable connected means being movable endwise to a position disconnected from the key plug, said cylinder having a hole therethrough of diameter greater than the diameter of said extra tumbler and smaller in diameter than the next adjacent pin tumbler and in the same plane of rotation as said extra tumbler, said hole being adapted to pass said extra tumbler when said key plug is in a rotated position which aligns the extratumbler with the hole, and a key having an extension thereon movable endwise against said releasable means to disconnect said releasable means whereby to enable rotation of said key plug to a position wherein the extra tumbler is in alignment with said hole;

2. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatablein the cylinder housing, a series of sets of movable pin and driver tumblers in the cylinder housing and key plug for'locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the front of the key plug, said'tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when the tumblers are in release position, one of said tumblers being asmall diameter extra tumbler in one of the sets of tumblers having a position allowing rotation of said key plug when the remaining tumblers are in release position, a tailpiece having limited rotational movement relative to said housing, said tailpiece being in endwise releasable engagement with said key plug and when in engagement being adapted to. iimit rotation, of said key plug, said cylinder housing 5 6 having a hole therethrough of diameter greater than the References Cited by the Examiner diameter of said extra tumbler and smaller in diameter UNITED STATES PATENTS than the diameter of the pin tumbler and in the same plane of rotation as said extra tumbler, said hole being 532 adapted to pass said extra tumbler when said key plug 5 3O73146 1/63 Patriquin 70 383 is in rotated position which aligns the extra tumbler with 3O78705 2/63 Morrison 70 383 the hole, and a key having an extension thereon movable endwise against said tailpiece to a position wherein said FOREIGN PATENTS tailpiece is disengaged from said key plug to enable rota- 505,759 8/30 Germany.

tion of said key plug to the position wherein the extra 10 tumbler is in alignment with said hole. ALBERT KAMPE Primary Examiner- 

1. A LOCK TUMBLER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A CYLINDER HOUSING, A KEY PLUG ROTATABLE IN THE CYLINDER HOUSING, A SERIES OF SETS OF MOVABLE TUMBLERS IN THE CYLINDER HOUSING AND KEY PLUG FOR LOCKING THE KEY PLUG AGAINST ROTATION AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED BY A KEY INSERTED THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE KEY PLUG, SAID TUMBLERS ALLOWING ROTATION OF THE KEY PLUG WHEN THE TUMBLERS ARE IN RELEASE POSITION, ONE OF SAID TUMBLERS BEING A SMALL DIAMETER EXTRA TUMBLER IN ONE OF THE SETS OF TUMBLERS HAVING A POSITION ALLOWING ROTATION OF SAID KEY PLUG WHEN THE REMAINING TUMBLERS ARE IN RELEASE POSITION, MEANS HAVING LIMITED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT RELEASABLY CONNECTED TO THE INNER END OF THE PLUG TO LIMIT ROTATION OF SAID KEY PLUG, SAID RELEASABLE CONNECTED MEANS BEING MOVABLE ENDWISE TO A POSITION DISCONNECTED FROM THE KEY PLUG, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH OF DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID EXTRA TUMBLER AND SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN THE NEXT AJACENT PIN TUMBLER AND IN THE SAME PLANE OF ROTATION AS SAID EXTRA TUMBLER, SAID HOLE BEING ADAPTED TO PASS SAID EXTRA TUMBLER WHEN SAID KEY PLUG IS IN A ROTATED POSITION WHICH ALIGNS THE EXTRA TUMBLER WITH THE HOLE, AND A KEY HAVING AN EXTENSION THEREON MOVABLE ENDWISE AGAINST SAID RELEASABLE MEANS TO DISCONNECT SAID RELEASABLE MEANS WHEREBY TO ENABLE ROTATION OF SAID KEY PLUG TO A POSITION WHEREIN THE EXTRA TUMBLER IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID HOLE. 